Resting ankle-arm pressure index in vascular diseases of the lower extremities.

The authors calculated 442 values of resting ankle-arm indices in 222 patients, of whom 114 reported exercise pain of the lower extremities (51.3%) and 34 reported rest pain (15.3%). Tissue necrosis was diagnosed in 55 patients (24.8%) and other disorders in 19 (8.6%). Obliterating atherosclerosis was found in 186 patients (83.8%), Buerger's disease in 16 (7.2%), and other vascular diseases in 20 patients (9%). The studied index value in 262 examined lower extremities was 1.3-1.0 in 54, 0.9-0.8 in 29, 0.7-0.6 in 66, 0.5-0.4 in 55, and 0.3-0.0 in 58 lower extremities. Respective values for contralateral lower extremities (180) were the following: 69, 54, 33, 14, and 10.